Stud Wall Calculator UK
Work out exactly what timber and plasterboard you need for a timber stud partition, in metric, to UK sizes. Enter the wall length and height, pick your stud centres and timber, and this calculator gives you the number of studs, the head and sole plates, the noggins, the total run of timber and how many plasterboard sheets to buy. It uses standard UK CLS sizes and the 400mm centres most joiners work to, so the figures line up with what you can actually order from a builders' merchant.
Your materials
- Studs (uprights)
- 10 @ 2.32m
- Head + sole plates
- 7.2m
- Noggins (1 row)
- 3.6m
- Total timber (incl. 10% waste)
- 37.4m
- ≈ Standard lengths to buy
- 13 × 3m
- Plasterboard (2 sides)
- 7 sheets (2.4 × 1.2m)
How to use the calculator
Measure the finished wall floor to ceiling for the height, and wall to wall for the length. A typical UK ceiling gives a height of about 2.4m. Leave the spacing on 400mm centres unless you have a specific reason to open it out to 600mm. Pick the timber you plan to buy: 89 × 38mm CLS is a good all-round choice for a partition, while 63 × 38mm suits a short, light dividing wall. Set the plasterboard to both sides for a normal room divider, and keep the wastage at 10% so you are not caught short on cuts.
The studs figure is the number of vertical uprights, cut to fit between the plates. The plates line is the head and sole plate combined, which run the full length top and bottom. The noggins line is the horizontal blocking between the studs. Add an extra stud each side of any door opening, and an extra noggin wherever you will hang something heavy such as a radiator, TV bracket or wall-hung basin.
Worked example: a bedroom partition in a Leeds semi
Say you are splitting a large bedroom in a 1930s Leeds semi into two, with a partition 3.6m long and 2.4m high, framed in 89 × 38mm CLS at 400mm centres and boarded both sides.
- Studs: 3600 ÷ 400 = 9, plus one end stud = 10 studs at 2.32m each.
- Head and sole plates: 2 × 3.6m = 7.2m.
- Noggins: one row (the wall is 2.4m) = 3.6m.
- Total timber with 10% waste ≈ 37.4m, so about 13 lengths of 3.0m CLS.
- Plasterboard: 3.6 × 2.4 × 2 sides = 17.28 m², plus 10% ÷ 2.88 = 7 sheets.
In 2026, a 2.4m length of 89 × 38mm CLS runs around £5 at Travis Perkins or Jewson, and a standard 12.5mm plasterboard sheet is roughly £10 to £13. That puts the core materials for this wall at about £180 to £220 once you add screws, insulation and jointing. If you bring in a joiner to supply and fit it, expect somewhere around £400 to £700 for a wall this size, depending on where you are and the finish.
UK stud wall sizes and standards
| Timber | Typical use | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| CLS 63 × 38mm | Short / light partitions | C16 |
| CLS 89 × 38mm | Standard room partition | C16 |
| CLS 140 × 38mm | Deep wall for services / insulation | C16 |
| Sawn 75 × 50mm (3×2) | Traditional partition | C16 / C24 |
| Sawn 100 × 50mm (4×2) | Heavier / loadbearing check | C24 |
Structural timber in the UK is strength graded to BS EN 338, with C16 the usual grade for studwork and C24 where more strength is needed. Plasterboard is manufactured to BS EN 520. A partition that carries load above it comes under Approved Document A and should be sized by a structural engineer rather than estimated here.
Frequently asked questions
Related tools
- Plasterboard & Drywall Calculator — sheets and screws for boarding your wall.
- Roof Batten Spacing Calculator — the same centres logic for roofing timber.
- Brick Calculator UK — for a blockwork or brick wall instead.
- Tile Calculator — for tiling the finished wall.
- All construction tools — the full set of UK calculators.
Disclaimer: This calculator gives material estimates for guidance only and does not replace professional advice. For loadbearing walls, fire or acoustic requirements, or anything structural, consult a qualified builder or structural engineer and check the current Building Regulations for your project.